Night Time Quest
by The Werewolf Mage
Summary: Rhaenys, unable to sleep, seeks out her father.


_Title: Night Time Quest_

_Summary: Rhaenys, unable to sleep, seeks out her father._

_Ever since reading that Rhaenys was found hiding under Rhaegar's bed before her murder, I have had this headcanon idea that she would often sleep with Rhaegar and was all around a daddy's girl. Since I can't draw it, I'll write it. Hope you like it!_

It was night in King's Landing, a time for all small children to be asleep. Many where, though there were plenty of children unable to sleep that night. One of those sleepless children happened to be the small princess within the Red Keep. She had tossed and turned ever since being led to bed shortly after sundown, with no sign of going to sleep in sight.

The young dragon princess sat up in her bed with a sigh. She had been put to bed ages ago by her mother, and with her beloved kitten Balerion beside her, she had assumed she would sleep easy. But sleep had not come yet for Rhaenys Targaryen. Perhaps it was the wind bothering her. Or perhaps it had been some of the young squires in the yard telling her stories to scare her. Either way, Rhaenys could not sleep.

As she tossed around in bed, Rhaenys wondered if everyone else was asleep as well. She was fairly certain her mother was asleep in the room next to hers. The Kingsguard, however, was probably wide awake. Rhaenys had become somewhat of a bother for the Kingsguard on the nights she could not sleep. Ser Barristan Selmy had caught her three times himself, and each time returned her to bed. He had also suggested that her father place a guard by her door at night, in case she should try to wander away and get lost.

Her father said he would consider it, but so far no guard had been placed by her door. Thinking of that, Rhaenys made up her mind. She slid out of bed and picked up Balerion, who had been fast asleep on her pillow, his tail covering his nose. He meowed once as she grasped him, but immediately started to purr once he realized who had woken him from his kitten dreams.

"Come on," Rhaenys whispered to the kitten. Balerion meowed in return.

Balerion settled down in his owner's arms, now used to their night time adventures, as short as they often were. Once Rhaenys managed to open the door to her room, he even begun to purr. "Ssh!" Rhaenys whispered to him. The kitten took no notice and continued to purr.

The goal was the same as it always was: her father's room. Sleeping with her mother could be easier, and not as far of a trip, but Rhaenys always slept better in her father's bed. The problem was simply that Rhaegar Targaryen's bedroom was a floor above her own. There were plenty of chances for her to be caught and put back in her own bed between her room and her father's room.

But trying was half the fun.

Rhaenys slipped down the thankfully empty hall and peered around the corner. She ducked quickly as she spotted a young woman entering a room only three doors down from where she was hiding. When she heard the door shut, Rhaenys breathed a sigh of relief. In her arms, Balerion flicked his tail but continued to purr.

She walked as quietly as she could down this second corridor. Outside, the wind continued to blow and howl, making eerie noises. Rhaenys tried to ignore it and instead focus on her idea of a quest. The stairs were always the difficult part. Anyone above her could see her before she saw them. That was how Ser Barristan caught her once.

At the sound of footsteps approaching behind her, Rhaenys squeezed Balerion tight enough to make him meow and stop purring. A door to her right was slightly ajar and she quickly slipped inside. She hid deep enough in the shadows that she was not seen directly from the door, but also close enough to the door that she could see who walked by. As she waited, Rhaenys absently began to stroke Balerion's fur. Balerion began to purr just as a flick of white caught Rhaenys' attention.

She wasn't quite sure, but Rhaenys thought it was Ser Jaime Lannister passing by her hiding place. She was pleased it was Ser Jaime instead of Ser Barristan, but she was not sure that the young Lannister would see her safely to her father's bed. He would probably return her to her own bed if he saw her.

The princess and her kitten waited for several long minutes before leaving the room. They left the room she had hidden in and encountered no one else before reaching the stairs. Rhaenys eyed them nervously. They were stairs, and simply that, but to her they had betrayed her once before. After a small moment of doubt, Rhaenys put her small foot on the bottom step and began to make her way up.

Halfway up she paused. Was anyone up there? Had she been seen? The only way to find out was to continue to go up. She took another step. Then another. Very slowly the small princess continued her way up the staircase.

When she was high enough to peek at the landing above her, Rhaenys smiled. There was no one in sight! All she had to do now was make her way to her father's bedroom. Then she stopped smiling, struck by a sudden, horrible thought. What if her father's bedroom was being guarded by the Kingsguard? She stood still for a moment, holding Balerion and trying not to cry. Surely she could not come this far without being sent to bed again?

There was only one thing to do in Rhaenys' mind: keep going. She took several timid steps forward, then peeked around the corner and breathed a large sigh of relief for such a little girl. Her father's bedroom door was completely unguarded.

Without fear of being caught now, Rhaenys hurried towards the door. A few feet from the door, she froze. Where those footsteps she just heard? It couldn't be! She was so close! She glanced around but there was no place to hide.

"It's quite late for you to be out of bed."

Rhaenys turned and gave her father a sleepy smile. "Can't sleep," she told him, finally releasing Balerion as she spoke. The black kitten began to weave his way around and between Rhaegar's legs, purring loudly as he did. Rhaenys reached for Rhaegar, who picked her up and carried her into his room. With a yawn, she began to rub her eyes. Ten minutes later, the little princess was fast asleep, curled up next to her father with Balerion asleep on the prince's chest.


End file.
